


Erik and the Anniversary Gift

by Killmongersmistress (teakturn)



Series: A Catfish Christmas [2]
Category: Black Panther (2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Domestic Fluff, Erik Has Feelings, Erik is a Sweetheart, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Marriage Proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-20
Updated: 2019-01-20
Packaged: 2019-10-13 11:34:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17487335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/teakturn/pseuds/Killmongersmistress
Summary: Erik is on the hunt for the perfect anniversary gift for Fallon.





	Erik and the Anniversary Gift

Two years into the best relationship of his life and Erik had no idea what to get Fallon for their anniversary. She wasn’t like the other female’s he’d found himself attracted to. She didn’t care about his money or his looks, she cared about him as a person and his well being. These factors made her an amazing woman to be in love with but a fucking difficult person to shop for. With their second anniversary only a month away, Erik wanted to give his girl something that would sum up his feelings for her in a way that the engagement ring on her finger and the jewels around her neck couldn’t.

When it came to all that touchy-feely shit Erik knew there was only one person who could help him.

“N’Jadaka? I thought we weren’t scheduled for a call until six?” T’Challa’s blue holographic form had a confused look on his face. His cousin looked at something off-screen and when his eyes returned to look at Erik, he had a smirk on his face.

“Ah, this has to do with Fallon,”

“Man get that smug look off yo’ face. I came to ask for a favor.” Erik couldn’t hide the annoyance in his voice. He may need his cousin for advice but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t hang up in that corny nigga’s face in a heartbeat.

“I am at your service, cousin. Tell me, how is my future in-law?” T’Challa couldn’t keep the smile off his face.

“She good, bro. We good over here, just,” he ran a hand down his face. He liked to think he hid it well but he was tired as hell. The Center had more kids to service than usual because of the success of Fallon’s charity events. “Busy as all hell. That’s what I came to you for. Our anniversary is comin’ up and I don’t have any fuckin’ idea what to get her.”

T’Challa’s brow furrowed in thought, “Is jewelry out? The last time I saw her she seemed to appreciate the jewels you’d gotten for your last anniversary.”

Fallon loved her necklace and earrings. As far as Erik knew she only took them off to shower and sleep. Other than that, if Fallon was up that necklace was around her neck, those earrings were on her ears, and his ring was on her finger. He was extremely proud of that gift and thankful for how it benefitted him in their bedroom. That said he didn’t want to make giving her jewels a go-to for every gift. Fallon put thought into his gifts. Hell, his girl put thought into everything she did for him. This anniversary was his chance to show her that he could be just as thoughtful.

“Nah man, I can’t do jewelry again. I need to come with something new.” Erik rubbed his jaw in thought.

On the screen, T’Challa hummed in thought, “Let’s work backward. What did she get you for your last anniversary?”

“She knit me a sweater. And that Christmas she knit me a blanket. Then for my fucking birthday, she got the jag some body work.” His car looked slick as fuck, all black with a gold sheen that glinted in the light. The interior received a similar treatment right down to his initial’s embroidered into the headrests. Erik wasn’t a bitch but that was the first time in his life he was almost driven to tears over a nice gesture.

T’Challa whistled, “That girl loves you. What’d you do to deserve her, eh?”

Erik glared at his cousin, “You know what she did for Christmas? She got me a customized and signed pair of Curry’s.” Erik’s throat was getting tight just thinking about it. His girl understood him, and it showed in the gifts she got him. He wanted to show her that he understood her too. After all the shit he put her through, after all the shit she’s gone through in life, Fallon deserved to know she was cherished. She was his queen and he wanted to treat her that way.

“I don’t know, ‘Daka,” T’Challa shook his head, “I don’t know Fallon well enough to come up with anything.”

Erik almost cussed his cousin out for being so fucking useless, then a thought occurred to him. T’Challa may not know Fallon that well but Erik knew someone who did.

 

It took some maneuvering around Fallon, but Erik was able to get Nicole alone in the office one a week after his conversation with T’Challa. Fallon was off on a scouting Trip with the botanical gardens in Pasadena for an event she was planning next spring. She wouldn’t be back at the office until the next day. Erik asked his assistant Zakia to request Nicole’s presence in his office and then waited for the short woman’s arrival.

Being with Fallon for two years cause Erik and Nicole to cross paths more than they ever had while working in the same office building. The two women were close enough that Erik could expect to come home to the two of them marathoning those weird Korean soaps Fallon liked. There was the occasional birthday dinner for Fallon but other than that they didn’t hang out. Him dating Fallon didn’t suddenly make them friends and they were both fine with the distance between them.

“Yes, Mr. Stevens.” Nicole stared at him warily from the doorway to his office. Without looking away from his computer he waved her in.

“Shut the door behind you.”

The sound of the door clicking shut prompted Erik to look up at his fiance’s best friend. She was still standing by the door and staring at him suspiciously. He didn’t blame her for being suspicious, it wasn’t like they were being friends. He just hoped her suspicion wouldn’t stop her from helping get Fallon the perfect gift.

“I don’t know if Fallon’s told you but our anniversary is in three weeks.” Erik waited for her to say something. All she did was raise an impatient eyebrow.

“Anyway, she always gets me something thoughtful and this year I want to get her something that show’s her how much I appreciate her.” Erik raised his hands in a gesture of frustration, “But I don’t know what the fuck to get her.”

Whatever suspicion that had been fueling Nicole’s distance disappeared as soon as Erik said that. Without asking for permission she immediately approached him and then perched herself on the edge of Erik’s desk. Crumbling blueprints and pushing important gadgets out the way to make way her thick thighs. If Erik wasn’t so fucking whipped by his girl, he’d have shoved her ass of his desk. He knew that if he did that Nicole wouldn’t help him and Fallon would be mad at him.

“Well, what you’d get her for her birthday?”

Erik thought for a second. He didn’t think Nicole would appreciate if he told her that all he got her best friend for her birthday was a dick. Sure, they’d been to Paris but that had been a work trip they couldn’t reschedule. His attempts at buying Fallon designer bags and shoes didn’t work out because he couldn’t imagine her quirky sense of style going with the classic designer pieces. Plus he didn’t think it would count if he had her buy what he wanted with his money. Erik had given her her own card on one of his accounts so long ago his money was practically her money. She’d essentially be buying her own gift.

“It has to be better than that,” Erik steepled his fingers together, “It has to be worthy of her.”

Nicole’s lips pursed in thought, “Have you thought about getting more jewelry? Maybe best friend charm bracelets from Tiffany’s?”

Erik rolled his eyes, “Is that all you got? Isn’t there anything that she wants?” He’d buy Fallon the moon if it would make her happy. No price was too high for his girl.

“For her birthday I usually take Fallon for a spa day. She usually does her manicure herself so…” Nicole trailed off at Erik’s unimpressed look, “Hey some of us aren’t billionaires.”

Erik rolled his eyes. If she wasn’t going to be helpful then she could go back to work. She’d already fucked up his workspace. Now she was just wasting his time.

“You know who’s really good at getting Fallon gifts?” Nicole snapped her fingers, “Duncan. For her twenty-fourth, he bought her a new pair of skates and took us to the Skate Depot that used to be by the Cerritos Mall before it got all gentrified over there. I’d never seen her smile so much.”

Erik was outright frowning now. The last thing he wanted to hear was that the only other man he had to compete with for Fallon’s affections was the one who gave her the best gifts. He and Duncan saw each other less and than Erik and Nicole did. Which was pretty hard to do seeing as Duncan was Fallon’s right-hand man in the Events department. Erik would prefer if he was the only man in her life but he couldn’t bare to take away the little bit of family she’d carved out for herself. Bast knows the family she had wasn’t shit, and Erik didn’t want them anywhere near her.

He’d take Duncan over her raggedy ass mama, even though he really didn’t want to.

 

Erik dismissed Nicole and made plans to hit Duncan up the next time he knew Fallon wouldn’t hear about it. His opportunity came his Aunt sent for Fallon to take a short trip to Wakanda for dress shopping. They were getting married in Wakanda as an apology for lying to his aunt and uncle about their first engagement. With Fallon gone and nothing but leftover’s in the fridge, Erik decided it was the perfect time to call Duncan over and pick the other man’s brain for information.

As one of three white people working at their facility, Duncan was vetted as much as possible. Still, Erik distrusted him and wouldn’t let him past the living room for their chat. When the man arrived Duncan wearing a beanie that he immediately recognized as Fallon’s work. Essentially strike two in his eyes. As soon as he led him inside, Erik wanted nothing more than to throat chop the guy and kick him out of his house. Then he caught sight of a framed photo of him and Fallon. She looked adorable in a Valentine’s Day outfit from their first year together.

He was doing all this shit he didn’t want to do for her. Fuck, there was no one else he’d do this for.

“I got to say, Erik, I was surprised when I received your call,”

Erik’s nose scrunched up and his lip curled, “Yeah well, I needed your advice on somethin’.”

Duncan plopped down on Erik’s couch and looked up at the other man expectantly, “Well,” he smiled, “Let’s hear it.”

Suppressing an uncomfortable urge to throw Duncan’s pale ass through his window, Erik shoved his hands in his pockets. This is for Fallon. This is for Fallon. This is for Fallon.

“Our anniversary is in two weeks and I need a gift for Fallon. Nicole told me to come to you.” There was very little inflection in his voice as he spoke.

Duncan nodded thoughtfully, “Fallon is a hard person to shop for. She makes her own clothes, she could cook a better meal than half the restaurants out here…” the white man trailed off.

“So you don’t know anything. Cool, get out.” Erik started towards the front door. So what if he was once again coming up empty-handed. He’d figure something out for her as soon as he got the colonizer off his couch.

“Well, now, I didn’t say that.” Duncan held his hands up in surrender, “But…” Duncan paused. Erik was two seconds from barking at him to spit it out when the other man continued, “I do know she’s always wanted a signed copy of Anthony Bourdain’s book. She’s read it before and planned on getting him to sign it and then he…passed.” Duncan’s face fell.

Erik scowled, “So you want me to get her a book signed by a guy who’s dead?” When Duncan did nothing but shrug Erik almost put his hands on him, “Get out.”

 

Once again Erik was left with nothing but wasted time and not a single gift for his fiance. Their anniversary was too close to plan something as elaborate as a party or trip. Not to mention their respective schedules wouldn’t allow for another trip until they went to Wakanda next June for their wedding. Erik was shit out of luck and his anniversary was closer than ever. He just knew Fallon’s gift would be thoughtful and heartfelt. If he followed T’Challa and Nicole’s advice she’d just end up with jewelry again. Fallon was worth so much more than that to him. And he wanted to show her that.

Erik decided to go with jewelry in the end. But if he was gonna give Fallon more jewelry then it had to be something big and flashy, something Fallon would never buy for herself even though it fit her perfectly. After talking with a jeweler back in Wakanda, Erik had a ring made especially for Fallon’s small hands and put a rush on it.

The day of their anniversary found them working on the couch together side by side. Fallon had her planning binder and a tablet on her lap. She leaned into Erik’s side as he worked on his own projects on the computer in his lap. It was a familiar sight for the two of them on the days they didn’t go into the Center for work. It was one of his favorite things to do with Fallon. They had reservations for dinner at a restaurant in the city and plans to ring in the New Year with a few dozen spectacular orgasms. For now, though, they were just working in the quiet of their home, enjoying each other’s company.

“Hey baby,” Erik cleared the sleep from his throat. Fallon hummed but didn’t look up, she was comparing fabric swatches and marking something down on her notebook.

“I wanted to give you your anniversary gift early, let me get up for a second.” Fallon turned to smile at him. It was his favorite of her smiles, big and cheesy. It took up half her heart-shaped face and made his dick hard, but like, in his heart you know?

He rushed to his home office where he’d hidden her gift as soon as she came back from Wakanda. It was the only area in the house she didn’t go into. Fallon understood how much he valued working on his own sometimes and respected his space. It was just another one of the many ways she showed him she cared about him.

When he returned to the living room he found Fallon sitting up with an excited smile on her face and her work materials set aside. Doubt about his gift to her crept into his mind, not for the first time. Would jewelry really make her happy? Fallon had used her hands to make him something before he’d even proven to her he was worth the effort. Erik wished he had some kind of hands-on skill so he could make her things the way she made him things.

Doubt or not he’d spent a grip on the gift and she looked excited to see what he’d gotten her. Erik took a seat next to her and handed her the Tiffany box. Fallon didn’t hesitate to whip the top off of the box but she paused at the ring box inside. Giving Erik a curious look she opened the ring box and then cursed.

“Holy fucking shit!” Her eyes were wide. With shaking fingers she picked up the dainty ring and held it up to the light. The band was a simple silver but it was the diamond that caught the eye. As wide as his thumb, it jutted out from it’s setting like a tiny diamond mountain. There was another ring inside the box, a band covered in diamond to stack alongside the diamond ring, but Fallon on had eyes for one ring.

Erik shot her a worried look, “I’m sorry if you don’t like it. Every year you get me something fuckin’ amazing for a gift and I feel like I can never match your energy.” Fallon was still speechless. Her eyes hadn’t left the rock. “If you don’t like it, baby, I can take it back.” Technically he couldn’t, it was special ordered for her after all, but if Fallon didn’t like it he’d make sure she never saw it again.

“Erik shut up you just bought me a skating rink to put on my finger. Let me process okay?” She took a deep shuddering breath to steady her heart, “Okay, now I can talk.”

Only she didn’t talk. Fallon was still staring at the ring like it was something she’d never seen before. Erik’s worry mounted.

“So…” he drawled, “Do you like it?”

Fallon snapped out whatever stupor she’d been under and shot Erik a bright smile, “Sweetie of course! I love it! I love it so much! Put it on me.” She handed the ring back to him and held out her hand so he could slide the ring up her finger.

Erik slipped the ring on and a second later found himself with an armful of Fallon, “I’ve never had someone give me a gift like this before. Thank you so much, sweetie.” She pulled back to kiss him, “I love you.”

“You deserve it, baby. Happy Anniversary.”


End file.
